Yes, you can block emails in Gmail, and it takes one click

Gmail has a built-in block feature that stops emails from a specific sender from reaching your inbox. When you block someone, their messages go straight to spam automatically — you won't see notifications, and they won't know they're blocked. The block stays in place until you remove it.

You can block from an open email, from your inbox list, or from the sender's contact card. The process is the same no matter where you start, and you can unblock just as easily if you change your mind later.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a sender in Gmail sends all their future emails to your spam folder automatically, with no notification to them.
  • You can block someone by opening their email, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting "Block [sender name]".
  • Blocked emails still exist in your spam folder — they are not deleted, so you can review them if needed.
  • You can unblock a sender at any time by going to Settings, opening the Blocked addresses tab, and clicking "Unblock" next to their name.
  • Blocking works for individual email addresses only, not for entire domains or companies.

How to block an email address from an open message

Open the email from the sender you want to block. At the top right of the message, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click "Block [sender's name]" — Gmail will show you the exact name or address it is about to block so you can confirm. Once you click it, the block is active when ready. That sender's future emails will go to spam.

How to block someone from your inbox list

You do not have to open an email to block the sender. In your inbox, hover over the email from the person you want to block. Three icons will appear on the right side of that row: an archive button, a delete button, and a three-dot menu.

Click the three-dot menu and select "Block [sender's name]". The email stays in your inbox, but all future emails from that address will go to spam. If you want to clean up your inbox, you can delete the original email after blocking.

What happens to emails after you block someone

Blocked emails do not disappear — they go to your spam folder. You can still see them if you open Gmail's spam folder and search for that sender's name. This is useful if you blocked someone by mistake or need to review what they sent you.

The sender will not receive a notification that you blocked them. Their emails will straightforward fail to appear in your inbox, and they may assume you are not reading their messages. Gmail does not send a bounce-back message or any other signal to them.

How to unblock a sender

If you change your mind about blocking someone, you can unblock them in Settings. Click the gear icon in the top right of Gmail, then select "See all settings". Click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab.

Scroll down to the "Blocked addresses" section. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the sender you want to unblock and click the "Unblock" button next to their name. Their future emails will now go to your inbox again instead of spam.

Blocking does not work for entire domains or companies

Gmail's block feature works only for individual email addresses. If you want to block all emails from a company domain — for example, all addresses ending in @example.com — you need to create a filter instead of using the block button.

Filters are more powerful but require a few extra steps. You can set up a filter to automatically delete, archive, or send to spam any email from a specific domain. If blocking a single sender does not solve your problem, the Filters and Blocked Addresses settings page has an option to create a new filter.

When blocking is not enough

If someone keeps emailing you from different addresses, blocking each one individually becomes tedious. In that case, a filter is more efficient. You can also report emails as spam or phishing before blocking them — this helps Gmail's spam detection system learn what you consider unwanted.

If you are receiving harassment or threats, blocking and filtering are tools to reduce what you see, but they do not stop the sender from trying to contact you. Consider reporting the behavior to Gmail's abuse team or, in serious cases, to law enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. Gmail does not notify them or send a bounce-back message. They may notice their emails are not getting responses, but they will not receive a notification from Gmail saying they are blocked.

Will blocking delete the emails they already sent me?

No. Blocking only affects future emails. Emails they sent before you blocked them stay in your inbox unless you delete them yourself. You can delete them manually or use a filter to move them to spam.

Can I block an email address that is not in Gmail?

Yes. You can block any email address, whether it is a Gmail address or from another provider like Outlook, Yahoo, or a company domain. The block works the same way regardless of where the email comes from.

What is the difference between blocking and unsubscribing?

Unsubscribing removes you from a mailing list — it tells the sender to stop sending you emails. Blocking stops all emails from that address from reaching your inbox. Use unsubscribe for newsletters you no longer want; use block for senders you do not want to hear from at all.

Can I block emails by subject line or content?

No. The block feature only works for specific email addresses. To filter emails by subject line or content, you need to create a filter in Settings instead of using the block button.